Local attorney sues contractor over unfinished job

GALVESTON - A Houston attorney seeks damages from a local contractor after he allegedly failed to convert her garage into livable space.

In a lawsuit filed June 9 in Galveston County Court No. 1, Beth Klein claims Izzy Malena, doing business as Izzy's Home Improvements, did not complete the reconstruction project despite being paid.

Klein was having the garage converted into a room for her disabled adult brother.

She also claims Malena neglected to order and install a new air conditioning unit. Malena told Klein the current AC unit was inadequate to accommodate the additional living space thus he required $5,300 to replace it, the suit says.

The plaintiff claims she paid Malena for the AC, but the replacement unit was never installed.

"He left the sink incompletely installed, holes in the wall and ceiling, and the walls unpainted," she says.

Klein contacted Malena on numerous occasions to get the money back.

"While the defendant agreed to return the money, the defendant has failed to return the money to the plaintiff and failed to finish the reconstruction of the garage," the original petition says.

The suit ultimately lists eight counts of wrongdoing against the defendant.

Klein is representing herself in the case, and Galveston County Court No. 1 Judge Mary Nell Crapitto is presiding over the litigation.

Cause No. 63,078